Waterford Bourough Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Eagle Hotel
Why it's listed
Along High Street in Waterford, about twenty miles south of Erie, a district of 42 contributing buildings dating from 1820 to 1939 surrounds a town square laid out on a grid in 1794. Its commercial growth came from serving local farmers and travelers on the Waterford Turnpike, which opened in 1809 and connected Erie with High Street. Waterford did not attract a canal or railroad, so it kept its trade with the surrounding region. Judson's store of 1820 and the stone Eagle Hotel of 1826 mark the start of this trade, followed by Italianate row buildings from the late nineteenth century. Repeated fires, including a major blaze in 1895, led the town to ban frame construction on High Street and rebuild in brick. St. Peter's Episcopal Church of 1832 and a Presbyterian church of about 1850 face each other across the square. The district is regarded as one of the best concentrations of nineteenth and early twentieth century architectural styles in Erie County.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant in commerce for its role as a local service center for farmers and travelers from the early 1800s through the early 1900s. It is also architecturally significant as an intact concentration of nineteenth and early twentieth century high-style architecture in Erie County.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 90000419, listed March 9, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by N. Park Row, High, W. First, and Walnut Sts., Waterford |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | March 9, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000419 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1820-1939 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, Georgian, Italianate, Victorian and Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Judson House is used as a local history library and museum, and the Eagle Hotel was restored in 1977 and operates as a restaurant. |
| Acreage | 21 |
| Coordinates | 41.94119, -79.98453 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90000419.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7974003
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.